ISHOF News Archives - Page 48 of 132 - International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

Happy Birthday Carol Zaleski!!

Carol Zaleski (USA)

Honor Contributor (2022)

FOR THE RECORD: FIRST WOMAN TO CHAIR FINA’S TECHNICAL SWIMMING COMMITTEE; FIRST FEMALE REFEREE AT BOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES; PRESIDENT, USA SWIMMING, FOUR TERMS; FIRST FEMALE DECK REFEREE IN OLYMPIC SWIMMING

Who knew on that day in the early 1970’s when she took her kids to a swim meet and volunteered to time, she would become the most powerful woman in the world in swimming? Probably not Carol Zaleski. She never dreamed that she would go on to hold every office with the Allegheny Mountain LSC from Secretary to General Chairman. She never saw herself becoming the Eastern Zone Director for USA Swimming, a position she held for four years. And she did not stop there.

Carol quickly rose through the ranks of USA Swimming, serving as secretary of the Rules Committee from 1980- 1985, then as Vice President for two years, before she was elected President of USA Swimming in 1986, serving an unprecedented four terms. She also was instrumental in the development of the National Officials Training Program, and years later she would create a similar program at FINA.

In addition to USA Swimming, Carol also served on various committees of the United States Olympic Committee, including the Overview Commission and the Olympic Games Preparation Committee.

Her leadership skills would eventually cross over into FINA, and they too would benefit from her knowledge and expertise. Carol was first elected to the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (TSC) in 1988 and served as the Honor Secretary from 1988-1992. She was the first woman to chair the TSC and she was only getting started. She served as Chairman of the committee from 1992 to 2005, and again from 2009 to 2022, for a total of 26 years. Additionally, Carol was elected President of UANA in 2003.

Carol was the first female referee at both the FINA World Championships and the Olympic Games. At the World Championship level, she was Competition Director in 1991 in Perth, and 1994 in Roma. On the Olympic level she was Administrative Referee in 1988 Seoul and went on to serve as Competition Director for four straight Games; Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, and Athens in 2004. At the 2008 games in Beijing, she became the first female to be named deck referee in Olympic Swimming. Once again, Zaleski, as Chairman, was the Competition Director for the Olympics in London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Carol has been honored by many organizations who have recognized her achievements. In 1992, she received the highest honor presented by USA Swimming, the United States Swimming Award, given for exceptional contribution to the sport of swimming. In 1990, she received the United States Swimming’s Athletes Appreciation Award. In 2009, she received the Paragon Award from ISHOF, and that same year, she was awarded the George M. Steinbrenner III Sport Leadership Award from the United States Olympic Endowment Foundation. In addition, Zaleski was named one of the 30 Most Influential People in Swimming over the Past 30 Years.

In 2021, Carol received the FINA Order in Abu Dhabi at the 2021 Short Course World Championships. The Award is FINA’s highest honor, presented to individuals who “illustrated the ideals, aims and objectives of FINA in the spirit of sport, and with morals, ethics and/or fair play through his/her action, who have achieved remarkable merit in the world of swimming or have rendered an outstanding service to FINA’s cause, either through his/her contribution in the development of swimming.”

“It is difficult to find a facet in the sport of swimming that has not felt Carol’s nudge in the right direction,” said William Hybl, chairman and CEO of the U.S. Olympic Foundation. “Her passion and expertise combine to make her a dynamic leader who helped raise the profile of swimming while enhancing the performance of the athletes and officials who ensure the sport’s legitimacy.”

Happy Birthday Natalie Coughlin!!

Natalie Coughlin (USA)

Honor Swimmer (2022)

FOR THE RECORD: 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE, 4×200M FREESTYLE), SILVER ( 4×100M FREESTYLE, 4×100M MEDLEY), BRONZE (100M FREESTYLE); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE), SILVER (4×100M FREESTYLE, 4×100M MEDLEY), BRONZE (100M FREESTYLE, 200M I.M, 4×200M FREESTYLE); 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: BRONZE (4X100M FREESTYLE); 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE, 4×200M FREESTYLE), SILVER (4×100M MEDLEY), BRONZE (50M BACKSTROKE); 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (4×100M FREESTYLE) SILVER (4×100M MEDLEY); 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (4×200M FREESTYLE), SILVER (4×100M MEDLEY, 100M FREESTYLE), BRONZE (100M BACKSTROKE, 4×100M FREESTYLE); 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE, 4×200M FREESTYLE), SILVER (4×100M FREESTYLE, 4×100M MEDLEY), BRONZE (100M BUTTERFLY); 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (4×100M MEDLEY), SILVER (4×100M FREESTYLE), BRONZE (100M BACKSTROKE); 2013 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): GOLD (4×100M FREESTYLE)

She is the only American woman to win six medals at one Olympic Games, while tying Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson with winning the most Olympic medals at twelve. Natalie Coughlin became the first woman to break the one-minute barrier in the 100-meter backstroke in August, 2002, then going on to break the record several more times, going below the 59 second mark.

At 15, she became the first US swimmer to qualify for all 14 events at the U.S. Nationals, but by the time she was ready to enter college, she was already burnt out in the sport. She had a devastating shoulder injury and was in an environment that didn’t support her.

Enter the University of California Berkeley and a program that would change Natalie’s entire outlook on swimming. In her four years at Cal, Natalie became the most decorated swimmer in the university’s history. She was a three time NCAA Swimmer of the Year and won 12 NCAA titles and upheld an undefeated dual meet record throughout her collegiate career (61-0).

Natalie regularly attended the World Championships as well as the Pan Pacs and other major competitions and she regularly brought home the hardware too. After her disappointing swims at the 2000 Trials, all events Natalie competed in after that were a build up to the Trials of 2004, and ultimately, the Athens Games. In 2004 at the Trials, Natalie qualified first in the 100m backstroke and second in the 100m freestyle, she had punched her ticket to Athens.

In Athens, she won her first two Olympic medals in gold. First, the 100m backstroke and next as part of the world record-setting 800m freestyle relay. After that, she swam on the 400m freestyle relay and the 400m medley relay, where the USA girls took silver. She finished up in the 100m freestyle, where she earned bronze.

Four years later in Beijing, Natalie proved she was one of the most successful swimmers in U.S history by becoming the first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the 100m backstroke. She added two more silvers to her medal count, again in the 400m freestyle relay and the other in the medley relay. She added three more bronze, for a total of six medals in one Olympiad, making her the first woman to ever do so.

Natalie attended her third and final Games in London in 2012. She was a member of the U.S.A. ‘s 400m freestyle relay that took bronze. She would swim in 2016 but come up short. Natalie never officially retired and continued to stay involved in the sport, serving as an athlete representative for USA Swimming’s Board of Directors, and in 2019, Natalie competed in the International Swimming League’s inaugural season.

She has won a total of 60 medals in major international competition, 25 gold, 22 silver, and 13 bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the Pan American Games.

ISHOF Loses Australian Honoree John Devitt

by IAN HANSON – OCEANIA CORRESPONDENT

17 August 2023, 09:17pm

PASSAGES: Australia Mourns The Passing Of “Mr Swimming” John Devitt, A Legend With Chlorine In His Veins

The Australian swimming community is in mourning today following the passing of one if its greatest champions, two-time Olympic and three-time Commonwealth Games freestyle gold medallist John Devitt AM – a true legend of the sport.

“Gentleman John” passed away peacefully in Sydney yesterday, aged 86, leaving an enormous legacy not only in sport but after a special life alongside his adoring wife Wendy and the four Devitt kids – Carmel, Mark, Julie, and Sean.

Swimming in Australia has been blessed with a host of true champions over more than 130 years of success both in and out of the pool, but few have had the charisma, the presence, and the passion of John Devitt.

ROME OLYMPIC PODIUM: John Devitt with his prized 100m freestyle gold from 1960. USA’s Lance Larson (Silver) right and Brazil’s Manny Dos Santos (Bronze) left. Photo Courtesy: Robin Poke.

Known on pool decks around the world as JD and affectionally referred to back in the day as Johnny Devitt -Australia’s 1956 and 1960 Olympic gold medallist – Australian swim team captain of the golden era – he was “Mr Swimming.”

Born in Granville on February 4, 1937, John went on to become a dual Olympic gold medallist in the 4x200m freestyle in Melbourne and in the blue ribband 100 metres freestyle in what was a controversial final in Rome in 1960.

John grew up just 250 metres from the Granville Olympic pool, in the heartland of the Sydney’s golden west and was a product of the government funded learn-to-swim program attending Marist Brothers Parramatta.

But after his coach Tom Penny was forced to move from Granville to Manly (Ocean) Baths, Devitt moved with him, and it was the continuation of a partnership that led to Devitt’s foray on to the National scene.

But it was Devitt’s next move to noted coach Sam Herford (at the Spit Baths) who was in charge of the great Olympic champion Murray Rose, that eventually steered him towards his Olympic dream.

After duelling with the likes of Barry Darke and then graduating through match races with Jon Henricks and Gary Chapman, Devitt was named on the 1956 team for the Melbourne Olympics – and much to his surprise he was named captain.

He opened his love affair with the Games with an individual silver medal to Henricks in a dominant Australian 100 metres, with Chapman third – creating wild celebrations on pool deck.

It was Australia’s first ever Olympic clean sweep in any event. It was also the first time an Australian had ever won the men’s 100m freestyle and the first Australian freestyle gold medal in 32 years (Another Manly boy, Andrew “Boy” Charlton’s 1500m win in Paris was the previous gold medal).

Devitt, Henricks, Rose and Kevin O’Halloran then combined to win gold in the 4x200m – with Devitt clocking the fastest split time of the four – but little did Devitt know what lay ahead as he prepared for the 1958 Cardiff British Empire And Commonwealth Games and the 1960 Rome Olympics some four years on.

The freestyle sprint ace continued his gold rush in Cardiff winning three gold – including the prized 100m freestyle in another Aussie sweep with Chapman second and Geoff Shipton third.

Photo Courtesy: Robin Poke

Devitt was again named as the prestigious team captain in Rome and while Henricks was favoured to defend his crown he failed to make the 100m final after falling ill.

It was left to Devitt to take on American Lance Larson and the flying Brazilian Manny Dos Santos.

Devitt and Larsen hauled Santos in over the closing stages of a thrilling final before one of the most controversial finishes in Olympic swimming history unfolded.

The trio touched in a flurry of splash and the experienced Devitt – noted for his quick touch, was convinced he had won the gold medal, reaching out underwater with one hand as the other came over the top.

But the US camp was equally convinced that Larsen was the victor, with the American claiming the victory with his post-race celebration.

Devitt himself would recall one of the most controversial days in Olympic swimming history saying: “Eight of us hit the wall, almost in line. In the crowd, bedlam turns to ovation, then speculation, then anticipation. Who has won?

“I didn’t know. I knew I had missed the wall with my left hand and started to raise my right, but then stretched out with the left to touch.

“I had contested four close finishes in my career; I won three of them, having lost one in Melbourne to my old mate Henricks.

“My touch had been recognised as being one of the quickest of all time. And the motto ‘a quick touch wins races’ had been with me for years. I was hoping that touch had worked with me this time.”

And after much deliberation amongst the judges, Devitt was announced the winner, with Larsen the silver and Dos Santos the bronze, sending the US into the protest room.

Two of the three first-place judges said Devitt had won and two of the three second-placed judges said Devitt had finished second – giving him the majority of the votes for both first and second.

Devitt’s time was adjusted and both swimmers were given the Olympic record time of 55.2 – but it was Devitt who packed the golden medal in his suitcase for the trip back to Sydney.

The controversy is still the subject of much discussion between swimming’s great archrivals the USA and Australia.

TEAM CAPTAIN: John Devitt led the golden era of Australian swimming in the 1950s and 60s. Photo Courtesy: Swimming NSW.

Devitt held his head high after he returned home and retired to work for swimwear manufacturing giant, Speedo and as head coach of the squads in the Queenscliff rock pool and the famed Manly Baths before leaving Australia to take up a major position with Speedo International, returning home to continue his administrative roles with Swimming and as a vice president of the Australian Olympic Committee.

The gentleman of the pool first served the Swimming Australia board as its Chairman of Overseas Planning – instrumental in bringing Don Talbot back as head coach in 1989 – under the reign of CEO and future Olympic Committee guru Craig McLatchey.

Devitt had then become Vice President of Swimming Australia, alongside President and lifelong friend and fellow Olympian Terry Gathercole between 1996 and 2000 taking over as President of Swimming Australia between 2000 and 2004.

A fitting post for Devitt, after being instrumental and influential in winning the successful bid in 1993 for the Olympics to come to Sydney.

He would later lead Australia into the MCG as Chef de Mission of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Team – 50 years after his Olympic triumph in Australia’s sporting capital.

Receiving due recognition for his passion and poise for the sport he loved – often saying he was a chosen one who had chlorine running through his veins, was awarded FINA’s highest award – the FINA (World Aquatics) Prize.

The FINA Order is only awarded to heads of States/Cities, which host major FINA or Olympic events, joining fellow Australians Bill Berge Phillips in 1991 and Kieren Perkins in 1994 as fellow FINA Prize recipients.

Former Swimming Australian CEO, the late Glenn Tasker had been full of praise for Devitt saying: “John dedicated 60 years of his life to the sport of swimming. His career has spanned the most exciting period in the sport’s history. The Fina Prize is a wonderful recognition of his life’s dedication and truly deserved.”

John Devitt AM was captain of the Australian Swimming Team that won eight gold medals at the 1956 Olympic Games and President of Australian Swimming at the time the team won five gold in the next home Games in Sydney, seven more in Athens and 13 at the 2001 World’s in Fukuoka.

Devitt quietly stepped aside from public life on Sydney’s Northern Beaches where he spent time with his kids and grandchildren.

And dedicating his time to researching and writing a book with co-author Larry Writer about the extraordinary life of his own hero, 1912 Olympic gold medallist Cecil Healy, who would become the first Olympic champion to make the ultimate sacrifice, losing his life in World War I.

THE SOMME: John Devitt at The Somme graveyards. Photo Courtesy: Devitt Family Collection.

Healy had refused to swim in the 100-metres final in Stockholm in 1912, unless famed Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, the favourite, was allowed to compete.

Duke had missed his semi-final after a misunderstanding over the starting time. Healy’s gesture cost him victory but earned him a place in sport’s pantheon of true champions.

Devitt, the true champion himself, had long admired Healy, with their lives travelling down such similar paths in sport and in life and it had been a life long ambition of Devitt’s to travel to The Somme to visit Healy’s grave and honour his fellow Olympic champion with a detailed biography of his life.

Such was Devitt’s feelings for his hero, when Manly Council chose to honour Devitt (like Healy a long time Manly Swimming Club member) by naming their new eight-lane indoor pool after the 1956 and 1960 Olympic champion.

But Devitt convinced the powers-that-be to change the name to the Devitt-Healy pool, saying that it was important to him to have Healy’s name next to his as a “tangible memento.”

“I regard myself as having had a similar life (to Cecil Healy),” said Devitt, “We have enjoyed a great escalator, we have been successful but when the discussion came up I thought Cecil should have been recognised…and I said our names should be associated.”

The humble act by Mr Devitt was fitting, given Healy’s reputation as one of Australia’s most honourable sportsmen for his unselfish act in 1912 that would have certainly seen him win that individual Olympic gold.

As an elite young swimmer, as a resident of Manly on Sydney’s northern beaches, where Healy once lived, and as a noted swimming historian, Devitt became engrossed in the Healy legend, writing the labour of love on his hero’s life.

BIG THREE: Murray Rose, Jon Henricks and John Devitt. Photo Courtesy: Swimming NSW

Cecil Healy and John Devitt are both honorees in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale.

IOC Vice President and former long serving AOC president John Coates, knew John Devitt well, serving together on the AOC Executive and on many teams, paying this tribute.

“I know of no other Olympic Champion who cared for his sport and the Olympic movement like John,” said Coates.

“And no other sports administrator with the integrity and high principles that were John’s hallmark.

“John Devitt was my most loyal Vice President and Deputy Chef de Mission and so highly regarded by his swimmers and the other athletes who were always his focus.

“But above all was John’s commitment and love for his his family. Nothing was more important in his life.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Wendy and the family at this most difficult time.”

Amongst a litany of recognition for his services to Swimming and The Olympics, John is also the recipient of the Olympic Order, bestowed by the International Olympic Committee; the Fina (World Aquatics) Prize, For Outstanding Contribution to Swimming; A Life Member of the Australian Olympic Committee and Swimming Australia; Also Inducted into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame and Appointed a Member of Order of Australia (AM).

John Devitt AM – true champion both in sport and in life.

ATHENS OLYMPIC SWIM TEAM: Swimming Australia president John Devitt with the 2004 Australian Olympic Swim Team. Photo Courtesy: Hanson Media.

Today in History: ISHOF 2023 Honor Swimmer Kosuke Kitajima (of Japan) wraps up the 100/200m breaststroke double at the Athens Olympics when he wins the 200m in 2:09.44, an Olympic record

Come see KOSUKE KITAJIMA LIVE and IN PERSON as he is officially inducted with other great Aquatic Athletes, like MICHAEL PHELPS, MISSY FRANKLIN, CESAR CIELO and KIRSTY COVENTRY into the INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME in Fort Lauderdale on September 30, 2023. Seats are Limited, buy your tickets NOW!

58th Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction CeremonyHosted By Dara TorresSaturday, September 30, 2023The Parker Playhouse707 NE 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale, 33304954.462.0222

Purchase Saturday Night Tickets Here

Class of 2023 Honorees

Bob Bowman (USA) / Honor CoachChris Carver (USA) / Honor CoachCesar Cielo (BRA) / Honor SwimmerKirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Honor SwimmerMissy Franklin (USA) / Honor SwimmerNatalia Ischenko (RUS) / Honor Synchronized SwimmerKosuke Kitajima (JPN) / Honor SwimmerHeather Petri (USA) / Honor Water Polo PlayerMichael Phelps (USA) / Honor SwimmerWu Minxia (CHN) / Honor DiverSam Ramsamy (RSA) / Honor ContributorStephane Lecat (FRA) / Honor Open Water SwimmerTrischa Zorn (USA) / Honor Paralympic Swimmer

2023 ISHOF Aquatic Awards &ISHOF Specialty AwardsPresented by AquaCal

Friday, September 29, 2023

Purchase Friday Night Tickets Here

ISHOF Aquatic AwardsCompetitive Swimming: Mike Unger (USA)Competitive Diving: Ellie Smart (USA)Water Polo: Mark Koganov (AZB)Artistic Swimming: Maria Jose Bilbao (ESP)Aquatic Safety: Cullen Jones (USA)Recreational Swimming: Sofia Forte (USA)

ISHOF Specialty Awards John K. Williams Jr. Award: Gail M. Dummer (USA)Judge Martin Award: Norm Taplin (USA)ISHOF Service Award: Laura Voet (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Elaine K. Howley (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Tom Gompf (USA)Al Schoenfield Media Award: John Lohn Virginia Hunt Newman Award: Amanda GawthropeSammy Lee Award: USA Diving/Duraflex

5:00 – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvresOceanview Veranda Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach, 3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954.525.40006:00 – Awards Ceremony Grand Ballroom – Salon EFort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach8:30 – Dinner on own

HOTEL INFORMATION

Host Hotel: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, (3030, Harbor Drive, Fort Lauderdale, 33316, 954. 525.4000) site of the Friday night awards ceremony is our host hotel. The hotel has given us a special rate of $229 per room night. Please make your reservations through the link below prior to August 29.

(Be sure to say you do not want the resort fee or you will be charged $259)

To make reservations click here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50527236

Upscale retreat with private beach access, two pools, four restaurants, full-service spa and oceanside bar. Location of the Friday evening awards ceremony.

¼ mile south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

($30 Resort fee – Guests can opt out if not interested in resort amenities)

Additional Hotel Option:

Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, 440 Seabreeze Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

(954) 524-8733.

Click Here: Book your group rate for Honoree Ceremony

Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $169 – $189 per night

Honoree Ceremony September 29-30, 2023: Last Day to Book: Friday, August 31, 2023.

Flashback Friday: When the Olympic Games Last Visited Paris; A 100-Year Flashback

By: John Lohn, Editor in Chief

When the Olympic Games return to Paris next summer, it will mark a century since the French capital last served as host of the biggest sporting event on the planet. In 1924, Paris welcomed the finest athletes in the world, including an American swimmer by the name of Johnny Weissmuller. For this week’s version of Throwback Thursday, we look back at some of the highlights from the last Olympics in Paris.

Before he became better known for his portrayal of Tarzan, Weissmuller was the undisputed king of swimming, and his first Olympics in Paris allowed him to cement that status. Weissmuller claimed individual gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 400 freestyle, with each victory arriving over a stacked field.

In the 100 freestyle, Weissmuller finished ahead of the Kahanamoku brothers, Duke and Sam. Via a time of 59.0, Weissmuller prevailed and denied Duke Kahanamoku from capturing his third consecutive title in the event. Duke won gold in the 100 free in 1912 ad 1920, but didn’t have the chance at the crown in 1916 due to the cancellation of the Games by World War I.

Although the 400 freestyle was a stretch for Weissmuller in terms of distance, the American demonstrated his talent by defeating distance stars Arne Borg of Sweden and Andrew “Boy” Charlton of Australia. Weissmuller trailed late in the race, but surged past his foes over the last lap to secure victory.

Charlton got the best of Borg for the gold medal in the 1500 freestyle, as both men went under the previous world record.

The United States easily topped the medals table, thanks to 19 medals. Of that total, nine were gold while five were silver and five were bronze. Australia, Sweden and Great Britain tied for second place on the chart, with four medals each.

Overlooked in the shadow of Weissmuller was the United States’ Warren Kealoha. After mining gold in the 100 backstroke at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Kealoha defended his title with an Olympic-record performance. Kealoha was the only repeat champion in the event until 1960, when Aussie David Theile backed up his gold from the 1956 Games.

The United States women were led by a trio of gold medalists. Ethel Lackie bested the competition in the 100 freestyle while Martha Norelius emerged on top in the 400 freestyle, a championship she would defend four years later in Amsterdam. More, Sybil Bauer cruised to gold in the 100 backstroke.

Today in History: Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband wins the coveted 100m freestyle gold medal in 48.17 ahead of Roland Schoeman of South Africa at the Athens Olympic Games

Happy Birthday Tom Malchow!!

Tom Malchow (USA)

Honor Swimmer (2014)

FOR THE RECORD: 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (200m butterfly); 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m butterfly); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: Team Captain and 4th place (200m butterfly): ONE WORLD RECORD: 200m butterfly: 1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (200m butterfly); 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (200m butterfly); 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (200m butterfly); 1995 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: silver (200m butterfly); 1997 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4x200m freestyle), silver (200m butterfly); 1999 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m butterfly), silver (4x200m freestyle); 2002 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m butterfly); 1995 SUMMER UNIVERSIADE: gold (200m butterfly).

He was introduced early to the water and started swimming competitively at the age of seven to help combat his chronic asthma. A naturally tall and lean kid, Tom Malchow played a little basketball and baseball in grade school, but it was swimming that he showed the most promise. Swimming for coach Paul Lundsten, state, zone and sectional times came easily to him. At St. Thomas Military Academy he held the pool record, in every event except for diving, and was recruited by some of the nations top collegiate programs. He chose Michigan because he liked the coach, Jon Urbanchek, and the overall program.

When he got to Ann Arbor in 1995, he wasn’t the “big dog” he had been in high school and it was a difficult transition for him. He was getting worked in practice and was given the nickname “Puppychow”, but that just made him hungry for success. Following his freshman season, Tom surprised everyone but Urbanchek when he upset the reigning Olympic 200 meter butterfly Champion, Mel Stewart, to qualify for the 1996 Olympic Games as the team’s youngest member, and then moved from sixth place at the last turn to win the silver medal in Atlanta.

Finishing just behind Hall of Famer, Denis Pankratov, who won gold, was a critical turning point for Malchow. The silver medal wasn’t good enough for him, he wanted the gold. So, for the next four years, he and Urbanchek decided what needed to be done differently so he could stand on top the medal stand with a gold medal around his neck.

Chasing Pankratov’s world record had been made more difficult by the rule change that limited underwater swimming to 15 meters after Atlanta, but Tom finally broke it in June of 2000. Three months later, he won the gold medal in the 200 meter butterfly and broke the Olympic record as well.

In order to take home the gold medal from Sydney, Tom swam six days a week for 10 years; but every day since he was seven he endured frequent asthma attacks, bouts with pneumonia and eight or nine hospitalizations due to his chronic condition. He learned early on that the most effective way to deal with his enemy was to meet it on its own terms. “I picked a sport I could do, became motivated, and gave it everything I had.”

Happy Birthday Zdravko Jezic!!

Zdravko Jezic (YUG)

Honor Water Polo (2010)

“Pusko” played on three Olympic teams for Yugoslavia winning silver medals in 1952 and 1956. He contributed to the development of the “dynamic game” after restriction of movement was discontinued in 1950, helping to develop the “Yugoslav school” of fast-style water polo. He played in every one of the 113 consecutive national team games from 1950 to 1960 (captain 1958-1960) and in over 400 games for his Club Mladost’s team (captain 1952-1962). Bela Rajki called him one of the outstanding personalities of his time.

On this Date: Race Of the Century – When Three Titans Of the Sport Clashed For History (Video)

by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

16 August 2023, 04:37am

Race Of the Century: When Two Stalwarts and a Rising Star Clashed For History (Video)

The 200 freestyle had enough substance at the 2004 Olympics, thanks to a repeat clash between the Netherlands’ Pieter van den Hoogenband and Australia’s Ian Thorpe. But when Michael Phelps entered the fray, too, the race became something special, and one of the most-anticipated events in Olympic history.

How many times has this refrain been uttered by sports fans and experts: Wouldn’t it be great if (fill in the blank) and (fill in the blank) had the chance to battle? Yet, in many instances, the desired matchup is left only to the imagination, timing usually the most significant factor in the blockage of what could be an epic duel.

As the 2004 Olympic Games neared, however, swimming found itself in a fortunate position when three of the biggest names of the era – or history, for that matter – decided the 200 freestyle was going to be on their Athens schedules. The revelation had the sport’s analysts wringing their hands and fans counting down to what undoubtedly would be a day to remember: August 16, 2004.

Pieter Van den Hoogenband – Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins

Two of the pieces for an epic race in Athens were in place long before the Games returned to their birthplace. In Australian Ian Thorpe and Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, the 200 freestyle two of the greatest performers the event had seen. From 1999-2001, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband combined to set eight world records in the event, Thorpe leading the way with six global standards. The men had also met four years earlier in a splendid showdown at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, so Athens was a Part II of sorts, a second chapter which carried little risk of failing to match up to the first clash.

The event, though, surged even greater in expectations when Michael Phelps – never one to shy away from a challenge – announced that he was going to give the four-lap discipline a go. It would be one of five individual events, and eight overall, for Phelps, who was in pursuit of matching (or eclipsing) the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

In his other individual events – the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley – Phelps was a favorite to walk away with a gold medal. The 200 freestyle was a different story, the sport’s rising star playing the role of underdog in what only added to the intrigue of the event. But for Phelps, and coach Bob Bowman, the opportunity to race against the best was too alluring.

“This is the best opportunity for me to swim in the fastest 200 (freestyle) in history,” Phelps said ahead of Athens. “I love a challenge.”To gain a full appreciation for what unfolded in Athens, it’s necessary to examine the years leading up the Olympiad, particularly what unfolded in Sydney in 2000. At the time, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were already stars, each etching his own legacy in Olympic lore – and doing so with the help of the other.

Racing in front of a home crowd, which topped out at 17,000 spectators, a 17-year-old Thorpe was sensational in his Olympic debut, winning the 400 freestyle in a world-record time. Since winning his first world title in the event at the age of 15, Thorpe was deemed a future star, so talented that he could go down as the best swimmer the sport had ever seen.

With the 400 freestyle title in his pocket, Thorpe figured to win the 200 freestyle, too. One problem: Van den Hoogenband had a different plan. The bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 1998 World Championships, van den Hoogenband had developed into one of the world’s elite 100 and 200 freestylers. If there was someone who could derail Thorpe and do it on the Aussie’s home turf, it was the Flying Dutchman. That possibility became even more evident when van den Hoogenband sent a statement in the semifinals in Sydney, producing a world record of 1:45.35. Although Thorpe won the other semifinal in 1:45.37, there was no longer any belief that the final would be a coronation for the Aussie.

Ian Thorpe – Photo Courtesy: Adidas

The final in Sydney played out as expected in the early stages, van den Hoogenband surging to the front of the field and forcing Thorpe to run him down over the final lap. But as the swimmers covered the final meters, Thorpe couldn’t overcome his rival and watched van den Hoogenband equal his world record from the semifinals. A stunned Australian crowd could do nothing more than appreciate what “Hoogie” had done: Slay the dragon in his own lair.

“It was amazing to do this,” van den Hoogenband said. “In his home nation, in his home city, in his home pool. It was so eerie. (With) 25 meters left, I didn’t see him creeping up on me. I thought, ‘Man, he’s not going to touch me.’”

Thorpe finished his home Olympiad with five medals, three gold and two silver, while van den Hoogenband added a gold medal and world record in the 100 freestyle to go with bronze medals in the 50 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay.

While Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were constantly in the spotlight, Phelps flew under the radar – the last such time in his career. A month earlier at the United States Olympic Trials, a furious finish by the 15-year-old in the 200 butterfly landed Phelps his first Olympic invitation. His accomplishment made him the youngest male Olympian for the United States in swimming in 68 years.

Although Bowman and higher-ups with USA Swimming knew the future for Phelps had no ceiling, he certainly was not the talk of the American team. Sure, journalist Paul McMullen of the Baltimore Sun followed Phelps’ moves closely, providing superb reporting to those from Phelps’ hometown. But on the bigger stage, Phelps was a role player on a United States team which featured established stars such as Gary Hall Jr., Lenny Krayzelburg, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres.

Phelps had just one event to contest in Sydney and had no trouble handling the pressure which would floor many other teenagers competing on the biggest stage in athletics. Phelps went through the preliminaries of the 200 fly as the third-fastest qualifier, then moved through the semifinals with the fourth-fastest time. It was becoming clear that Phelps – although maybe not in Sydney – wasn’t going to be denied much longer.

Photo Courtesy: Baltimore Sun

In the final, Phelps used his customary late charge to put himself in medal contention, but the wall crept up a shade too early as he finished fifth in 1:56.50, 33 hundredths shy of the bronze-medal-winning time posted by Australian Justin Norris. In the six races he contested at the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games, Phelps established a personal best in each. One day, it surmised, there would be no stopping a guy who had all the right tools.

“How do you stand this?” legendary coach Mark Schubert asked Bowman in Sydney. “I have never seen anyone his age like him. You look at the Olympic Trials, the most pressure-packed meet in the world, and now the Olympics. He is truly phenomenal.”

Over the next few years, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband continued to excel, with Thorpe besting his foe for world titles in the 200 freestyle in 2001 and 2003. Thorpe was at his best at the 2001 World Championships, where he won six gold medals and set world records in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle. Van den Hoogenband was a constant force as well, and while he finished short of any world championships, he was a regular presence on the podium.

What changed the most was the profile of Phelps, who in short fashion soared from rising star to one of the world’s elite performers. By 2001, he was a world-record holder and world champion and by the close of the 2003 World Championships, Phelps was an all-around stud, the best the globe had to offer in the 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley. He was also right there in the 100 butterfly, trailing only American teammate Ian Crocker for world supremacy.

At those 2003 World Championships, Phelps and Thorpe locked up in the 200 individual medley, hardly a strong event for the Aussie. Ultimately, Phelps prevailed by more than three seconds over Thorpe, the silver medalist. As a result of that head-to-head triumph by Phelps and the overall depth of his program, it was argued that Phelps had moved ahead of Thorpe as the sport’s Poseidon. Still, the freestyle was Thorpe’s domain and Phelps – outside of duty in the 800 freestyle relay – had not ventured into that territory.

Of course, that scenario soon changed.

In the months leading up to the 2004 United States Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California, there was a great deal of speculation concerning Phelps’ program for the Athens Games. Because Phelps and Bowman kept their plans a well-guarded secret, all that was known was that Phelps would embrace a multi-event slate. Eventually, it was revealed that the 200 freestyle would be part of the agenda, thus enhancing the hype concerning the event come Athens.

With Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps all targeting the event, the 200 freestyle had it all. The world-record holder and two-time defending world champion. The reigning Olympic champion and former world-record holder. The upstart. It was soap opera stuff, played out across three continents.

“I don’t see us as being animals and marking our territory,” Thorpe said. “Not yet. I don’t think there’s anyone’s territory. I enjoy challenging myself rather than it just being about who’s in the race. I think Michael wanted to swim this race not just because I was in it, but you know, I think he wanted another challenge. For athletes, that’s what we’re here to do. I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to race against some of the world’s best athletes in my event.”

Ian Thorpe – Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Archive

Looking for a way to add excitement to the event (not that it was needed), the press dubbed the impending showdown between Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps as the Race of the Century. Really, it was a fitting title considering the credentials of those involved.

Unlike four years earlier, when van den Hoogenband blasted a world record prior to the final, the combatants advanced through the opening two rounds in measured fashion. Van den Hoogenband won the first semifinal while Thorpe finished ahead of Phelps in the second semifinal, with all three men saving their best for when it mattered most.

When the final under the Athens sky unfolded, intrigue was certainly in the air. Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were considered the favorites, but a persistent question was on the lips of those in attendance: Can Phelps make this a three-man battle for gold. The answer proved to be a negative, but it did nothing to take the shine off the Rac of the Century.

At the 50-meter mark, van den Hoogenband was out in front, Thorpe sitting just off the pace in second and Phelps in fourth. As the swimmers hit the midway point, van den Hoogenband had increased his lead over Thorpe, 50.42-51.04, with Phelps now sitting third in 51.70. That’s when Thorpe started to reel in van den Hoogenband.

Unable to play catchup in Sydney four years earlier, Thorpe cut into van den Hoogenband’s lead on the third lap and overtook the Dutchman on the final lap to prevail in 1:44.71, with van den Hoogenband earning the silver medal in 1:45.23. Producing the fastest last-lap split, Phelps touched in an American record of 1:45.32 for the bronze medal.

“It was the final that excited a lot of people,” Thorpe said. “This has been played out on three continents in the leadup to the Olympic Games, so it became a big deal. But I wasn’t focused on that. I really wanted to concentrate on what I was trying to do, make sure I swam the race well. I was able to do that. For me, that’s how I approached my races and I have been able to be successful in the past. I don’t worry about that my competitors are doing.

“I said to (van den Hoogenband), ‘Well, I guess that makes it 1-1 and I’d like to see you again in Beijing,” Thorpe said. “That brings up the question that was asked before, and you know I intend to be swimming it again. Pieter and I are good friends and it is a wonderful experience to be able to challenge yourself in this race, to prepare so hard in it. And you know, that’s what I’ve done, and that’s what Pieter’s done. And Michael’s done exactly the same thing. It’s good to be able to go out there and experience that with people that you know well. People kind of have their fate and their destiny and that was what it was tonight. I’ve worked damn hard for this.”

Photo Courtesy: International Swimming Hall of Fame

With the United States taking the bronze medal in the 400 freestyle relay earlier in the competition and Phelps winning the bronze medal in the 200 freestyle, his pursuit of Spitz’s seven gold medals from Munich was over. Some members of the media called Phelps’ performance in Athens a disappointment, but his eight medals told another story.

By winning both butterfly events and both individual medley disciplines, to go with a pair of relay gold medals, Phelps surpassed Spitz’s overall medal haul. Making the effort more impressive was the fact that Phelps, thanks to the sport’s global growth, faced deeper competition than Spitz and had handled a schedule which included semifinal rounds, something Spitz did not have to negotiate.

“How can I be disappointed?” Phelps asked after the 200 freestyle. “I swam in a field with the two fastest freestylers of all time and I was right there with them. I’m extremely happy with that. It’s a (personal) best time. It’s a new American record. I wanted to race those guys and that’s what I did. It was fun.

“It’s a lot more emotionally draining than anything I have done before and it takes a lot out of you race to race, particularly tonight. When those guys are going so fast it makes it real exciting, but it’s tough. I had an opportunity and I tried to do something that he (Spitz) did, but I didn’t. When I started to swim, I never thought I would have an opportunity to go for seven.”

The summit meeting which took place in Athens figured to be followed up at some point. Instead, it marked the final time Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps raced against one another. Thorpe initially announced he was taking a break from competition following the 2004 Games, but he never raced internationally again. Ahead of the 2012 Olympics, Thorpe announced a comeback attempt which blew up, with the middle-distance legend far from qualifying for the Australian squad which competed at the London Games.

Van den Hoogenband and Phelps met again in the 200 freestyle at the 2007 World Championships and the outcome was a one-sided affair, with Phelps taking down Thorpe’s five-year-old world record with a time of 1:43.86, and van den Hoogenband settling for the silver medal in another zip code, 1:46.28.

The dominance of Phelps, who won seven gold medals at the 2007 World Champs, could only be appreciated by van den Hoogenband, who announced after the final in Melbourne that he would abandon the 200 freestyle going forward, choosing instead to focus his energy on the 100 freestyle, where he was the two-time defending champion.

“I was swimming OK,” van den Hoogenband said. “But after every turn, he was pushing off and kicking through the water extremely fast. I was like, ‘Let’s see what he’s got left for the last 50.’ Well, he had a lot left. I thought the 200 freestyle record by (Thorpe) would last for 10, maybe 20 years.”

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where Phelps surpassed Spitz with an iconic 8-for-8 gold-medal performance, Phelps obliterated the opposition in the 200 freestyle, taking his world record down to 1:42.96. That time proved to be more than a second faster than anything Thorpe or van den Hoogenband ever produced. For his part, van den Hoogenband was fifth in the 100 freestyle in Beijing, but became the first man to make the final of the 100 freestyle in four consecutive Olympiads. Aside from his two victories, he was fourth as an 18-year-old in 1996.

All told, the Race of the Century brought together three men who combined for 44 Olympic medals, 28 by Phelps. In a little less than two minutes, Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps showed the beauty of what can happen when three legends get together. They thrilled a fan base. They brought something to the sport which will never be forgotten.

Kirsty COVENTRY (ZMB) to be inducted as one of five Honor Swimmers as part of ISHOF Class of 2023

by: John Lohn

Kirsty Coventry first competed at the 2000 Olympic Games as a teenager, and although she failed to advance to any finals, the experience was valuable and allowed the girl from Zimbabwe to get an up-close view of elite racing. Continuing to hone her skills, she made a major decision, to attend Auburn University, an NCAA powerhouse.

Behind her work at Auburn, Coventry elevated her status on the international stage and made her second Olympics, in 2004 in Athens, a successful appearance. Coventry collected a full set of medals in that Olympiad, claiming gold in the 200-meter backstroke, silver in the 100 backstroke and bronze in the 200 I.M.

She was even more impressive at the next year’s World Championships in Montreal, where she became one of the few athletes in history to win four individual medals at a single Worlds. In addition to winning titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke, Coventry was the silver medalist in the 200 and 400 I.M. Her win in the 100 backstroke arrived over world-record holder Natalie Coughlin, one of the few defeats the American endured between back-to-back Olympic crowns in 2004 and 2008.

Coventry added two medals at the 2007 World Championships and in early 2008, she set her first world record, breaking a 16-year-old standard in the 200-meter backstroke.

At the 2008 Olympic Games, Coventry won four medals. In her first three events in Beijing, Kirsty earned silver medals in the 400 IM, 100 backstroke and 200 IM She broke through in her fourth event, winning gold in the 200 backstroke in world-record time.

A year later, Coventry won a silver medal at the World Championships in the 400 IM and secured another world title in the 200 backstroke, where she lowered her world record. Coventry also competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, bringing her total number of Olympic appearances to five.

Kirsty Coventry (photo: Mike Lewis)

Overall, she won seven Olympic medals and eight medals at the World Championships, all from

individual events and was a five-time world-record setter.

Beyond her success in the pool, Coventry has been a member of the International Committee for more than a decade, helping to ensure positive experiences for athletes. She has also served in roles with World Aquatics and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Kirsty Coventry will be remembered for her multi-event talent and enduring legacy as a major factor in international competition.

Come join Coventry and this year’s spectacular class of 2023 in Ft. Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, consider making a donation. To make a donation, click here: https://www.ishof.org/donate/

Purchase your tickets here to the ISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremony (Saturday, September 30, 2023) via Ticketmaster:

https://www.parkerplayhouse.com/events/detail/international-swimming-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony-2023

Class of 2023 Honorees

Bob Bowman (USA) / Honor Coach

Chris Carver (USA) / Honor Coach

Cesar Cielo (BRA) / Honor Swimmer

Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Honor Swimmer

Missy Franklin (USA / Honor Swimmer

Natalia Ischenko (RUS) / Honor Synchronized Swimmer

Kosuke Kitajima (JPN) / Honor Swimmer

Heather Petri (USA) / Honor Water Polo Player

Michael Phelps (USA) / Honor Swimmer

Wu Minxia (CHN / Honor Diver

Sam Ramsamy (RSA) / Honor Contributor

Stephane Lecat (FRA) / Honor Open Water Swimmer

Trischa Zorn (USA) / Honor Paralympic Swimmer

Friday, September 29, 2023

2023 ISHOF Aquatic Awards – Presented by AquaCal(Formerly the Paragon Awards)

2023 ISHOF Specialty Awards

Purchase Friday Night Tickets Here

Friday, September 29th Schedule:

5:00 – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvresOceanview Veranda Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach, 3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954.525.40006:00 – Awards Ceremony Caribbean BallroomFort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach8:30 – Dinner on own

ISHOF Aquatic Awards Presented by AquaCal

Swimming: Mike Unger (USA)Diving: Ellie Smart (USA)Water Polo: Mark Koganov (AZB)Synchro: Maria Jose Brunel (ESP)Aquatic Safety: Cullen Jones (USA)Recreational Swimming: Sofia Forte (USA)

ISHOF Specialty Awards

John K. Williams Jr. Award: Gail M. Dummer (USA)Judge Martin Award: Norm Taplin (USA)ISHOF Service Award: Laura Voet (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Elaine K. Howley (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Tom Gompf (USA)Al Schoenfield Media Award: John Lohn Virginia Hunt Newman Award: Amanda Gawthrope

Sammy Lee Award: TBA

Duraflex Award: TBA

**All ticket sales are final unless event is canceled**